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Ernie Els headed to the World Golf Hall of Fame

ATLANTA – Ernie Els’ career is winding down, but is far from finished.

But Els, 40, will spend his final decade on the PGA Tour as a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

“It was quite a surprise,” Els said on Wednesday. “I thought for one you had to be a little more senior.”

Els, a native of South Africa and resident of Jupiter, was selected during his first year of eligibility, but boasted the most-impressive resume on the 25-player ballot.

The only three-time major winner on the list, Els has 18 wins on the PGA Tour and 25 on the European Tour.

Els, who received 66 percent of the vote, is the only current player selected.

When the 2011 class is inducted on May 9 in St. Augustine, Els will be joined by Lake Worth resident Doug Ford, a 19-time winner, including the 1955 and 1957 Masters; the late Jock Hutchinson of Scotland, a two-time major winner; and President George H.W. Bush, an avid golfer and honorary chairman of the First Tee.

A fifth and final inductee will be announced in October.

Founded in 1974 in Pinehurst, N.C., the World Golf Hall of Fame has 130 members.

Els said he learned of his selection two weeks ago when he was in Chicago for the BMW Championship, but did not tell even his family until two days ago.

“I knew, especially my daughter, she wouldn’t be able to keep it quiet,” Els joked. “I think everybody at the Pine School knows about it, here dad going into the Hall of Fame.”

Els said being able to share an honor like this with family and friends has been as special as winning 62 times worldwide.

“In these things, it’s a big team effort, and there’s a lot of people behind you, behind the scenes that you don’t normally see or talk about,” he said. “It’s how you make other people feel that’s close to you that makes you feel really good.”

Els singled out his wife, Liezel.

Els met Liezel in 1993, a year before his first U.S. Open win at age 24, and the two married in 1999.

“She’s pulled me back onto the rails quite a few times in my career,” Els said.